Northants Ironstone Railway

OPEN AUGUST Bank Holiday from 10.30 am until 5pm along with the garden and Cafe. Cream Teas SUNDAY & MONDAY from 12.00 & 4.30 - Ask staff about our Hunsbury Honey - - CAB RIDES - New Cafe - OPEN - - Shop - [under construction] Have you got painting skills..prepared to volunteer sometime... Then we would love to hear from you. We have a number of projects which can be completed but desperately need painting. Minor preparation works are required then the paint can be applied. CAN YOU HELP?? If so, please please please contact the chairman Bill Nile on 07977 - 437260 YOUR RAILWAY NEEDS YOU!
It's business as usual - Nirt is currently undergoing major improvements... The cafe has undergone a 3 month refit which is completed with a bespoke servery facility. This is the first part of a 3 phase plan of improvements. Next phase will be the new NIRT shop & disabled toilet and finally a complete external repaint of the coaches. The gardens have been completely transformed by our members and look completely different. Much of the railway yard has had all the rubbish and scrap remove ready for new track work. This has all taken place since christmas, we hope you notice a change for the better. Can you help us? Members are required to help with these and other exciting projects. Become part of a friendly team & learn new skills or have you skills you can offer to us? Contact the chairman Bill Nile at bill.nile@nirt.co.uk MORE WORKING MEMBERS REQUIRED - Learn to drive a locomotive email membership sec: ian.cave@nirt.co.uk		View of Hunsbury before yard clearance. Picture by Simon Tasker.

OPEN AUGUST Bank Holiday from 10.30 am until 5pm along with the garden and Cafe.

Cream Teas SUNDAY & MONDAY from 12.00 & 4.30

- Ask staff about our Hunsbury Honey -

- CAB RIDES - New Cafe - OPEN - - Shop - [under construction]

Have you got painting skills..prepared to volunteer sometime... Then we would love to hear from you. We have a number of projects which can be completed but desperately need painting. Minor preparation works are required then the paint can be applied. CAN YOU HELP?? If so, please please please contact the chairman Bill Nile on 07977 - 437260

YOUR RAILWAY NEEDS YOU!

It's business as usual - Nirt is currently undergoing major improvements...

The cafe has undergone a 3 month refit which is completed with a bespoke servery facility. This is the first part of a 3 phase plan of improvements. Next phase will be the new NIRT shop & disabled toilet and finally a complete external repaint of the coaches.

The gardens have been completely transformed by our members and look completely different. Much of the railway yard has had all the rubbish and scrap remove ready for new track work. This has all taken place since christmas, we hope you notice a change for the better.

Can you help us? Members are required to help with these and other exciting projects. Become part of a friendly team & learn new skills or have you skills you can offer to us? Contact the chairman Bill Nile at

bill.nile@nirt.co.uk

MORE WORKING MEMBERS REQUIRED - Learn to drive a locomotive

email membership sec: ian.cave@nirt.co.uk

View of Hunsbury before yard clearance. Picture by Simon Tasker.

... NIRT NEWS online ...
So far this year the site has transformed beyond all recognition. The yard has been completely swept of all rubbish and scrap. August 6th - Track relaying has started with the removal of a further siding, ground leveling and the siding reinstated with track from the former running line. The difference is unbelievable. With the realignment the siding is capable of taking the EPB set complete. Further works are planned with a rail drop ready for the connection of the run around loop by the site entrance. Sleepers will be sorted and moved from the yard ready for installation. This will allow us to then realign the entrance road and move the gates. June & July has seen steady progress at Hunsbury. The gardening team continue with there sterling efforts. The Apollo Rotary Group has very kindly helped us with some much needed painting of sheds. These have been cleaned up and look great, sincere thanks must go to John Payne & his team for all there hard work. August 7th - Work has commenced on the repainting of the Museum cladding. Museum - The old toilets which were out of use have been stripped out and demolished. The area surrounding them has been completely tidied and stripped of weeds. Trust will build a new pathway from the fire exit. The gardening team will be introducing a new planting area to make the entrance more appealing as part of the reinstatement of east elevation of the museum. Security - Additional new CCTV equipment has now been installed to the site which is needed for remote monitoring from a satellite station; this is now fully operational high resolution to make our security more robust. Final installation, commissioning & testing took place over night on the 9/10 July. The system links all other systems together. Redundant equipment will be removed shortly upgraded and reused else where. Pathway lighting has been installed up to the coaches for those darker days and evening events.	The yard clearance continues with the removal of scrap & rubbish ready for the next phase of track relaying. The next road is now ready for lifting and ground profiling. Members have worked hard to achieve this since Christmas in what has been a mammoth job. Thanks must go to everyone who has helped with this. Much needed space has been created. Picture by Cyril Crouch.
The major rubbish out the way now allows us to level up the ground ready for track work. Picture Simon Tasker.	Shed area now clear of major rubbish and toilet block. Pathway and new planting will be introduced shortly along with repainting and minor timber repairs to museum. Picture by Simon Tasker.	The shop – building work is nearly finished. New storage has been created and the disabled toilet area has been constructed. Modification of the coach will continue in the disabled toilet to enable the washroom equipment, baby changing facility and the distress alarm system installed. The area will have tiled walls and where possible the original coach features will remain untouched, the yellow fibre glass corridor end will be retained along with the dropped ceiling. The opening bulk head will be modified to incorporate the two different ceiling heights, panels replaced where required. The internal disable doorway access has been constructed and looks great. Heritage Awards Evening - Ian Cave represented the Trust at Kelmarsh Hall for this gala awards ceremony. The great and the good were in attendance, but although we did not win this year, the Trust was short listed in two categories for best event & best project. We would like to extend our thanks for a great evening and congratulations to all the winners & participants. N.B. - We understand Ian enjoyed the food too!
Works on the Community Coaches 2010

... NIRT NEWS online ...

So far this year the site has transformed beyond all recognition. The yard has been completely swept of all rubbish and scrap. August 6th - Track relaying has started with the removal of a further siding, ground leveling and the siding reinstated with track from the former running line. The difference is unbelievable. With the realignment the siding is capable of taking the EPB set complete. Further works are planned with a rail drop ready for the connection of the run around loop by the site entrance. Sleepers will be sorted and moved from the yard ready for installation. This will allow us to then realign the entrance road and move the gates.

June & July has seen steady progress at Hunsbury. The gardening team continue with there sterling efforts. The Apollo Rotary Group has very kindly helped us with some much needed painting of sheds. These have been cleaned up and look great, sincere thanks must go to John Payne & his team for all there hard work. August 7th - Work has commenced on the repainting of the Museum cladding.

Museum - The old toilets which were out of use have been stripped out and demolished. The area surrounding them has been completely tidied and stripped of weeds. Trust will build a new pathway from the fire exit. The gardening team will be introducing a new planting area to make the entrance more appealing as part of the reinstatement of east elevation of the museum.

Security - Additional new CCTV equipment has now been installed to the site which is needed for remote monitoring from a satellite station; this is now fully operational high resolution to make our security more robust. Final installation, commissioning & testing took place over night on the 9/10 July. The system links all other systems together. Redundant equipment will be removed shortly upgraded and reused else where.

Pathway lighting has been installed up to the coaches for those darker days and evening events.

The yard clearance continues with the removal of scrap & rubbish ready for the next phase of track relaying. The next road is now ready for lifting and ground profiling. Members have worked hard to achieve this since Christmas in what has been a mammoth job. Thanks must go to everyone who has helped with this. Much needed space has been created.

Picture by Cyril Crouch.

The major rubbish out the way now allows us to level up the ground ready for track work. Picture Simon Tasker.

Shed area now clear of major rubbish and toilet block. Pathway and new planting will be introduced shortly along with repainting and minor timber repairs to museum.

Picture by Simon Tasker.

The shop – building work is nearly finished. New storage has been created and the disabled toilet area has been constructed. Modification of the coach will continue in the disabled toilet to enable the washroom equipment, baby changing facility and the distress alarm system installed.

The area will have tiled walls and where possible the original coach features will remain untouched, the yellow fibre glass corridor end will be retained along with the dropped ceiling. The opening bulk head will be modified to incorporate the two different ceiling heights, panels replaced where required. The internal disable doorway access has been constructed and looks great.

Heritage Awards Evening - Ian Cave represented the Trust at Kelmarsh Hall for this gala awards ceremony. The great and the good were in attendance, but although we did not win this year, the Trust was short listed in two categories for best event & best project. We would like to extend our thanks for a great evening and congratulations to all the winners & participants. N.B. - We understand Ian enjoyed the food too!

Works on the Community Coaches 2010


Work on the shop starts with removing all the old panels and replacing any damaged wood work or glass. Shown is the fibre glass insulation which is installed throughout the coach, not asbestos !	The panels replaced using a good quality ply, which will be varnished when complete	The completed buffet area showing new counter and white paneling which was specially made for the coach. The design was to be in keeping with the railway theme, but function was more important	A shot of the buffet showing the other side of the serving area, note the new heating system and chiller unit. The cafe girls were very excited at the prospect of using there new area. The takings have increased already which is very encouraging.	A view of the garden from the buffet, all clean and tidy and loaded with new flowers. The place should be a mass of colour soon. Thanks must go to our gardening team for their excellent efforts

	Ironstone mining at Hunsbury Ever wondered how we get earth and stone moved? Well, unlike the miners who previously dug at hunsbury nearly 100 years ago, we do use some nice modern and very expensive equipment. Every man should have ago in one of these at least once, the power & performance is just breath taking. In the wrong hands they are potentially lethal too, so training is very important and very expensive. The digger bucket weighs in at a cool approximate 500kg and stands roughly a meter high. The railway wheels on this model are driven by the road wheels which go backwards which make the machine travel forwards! It looks very odd when you are line side. They are capable of towing trolleys which have their own braking system powered through hydraulic lines applied in the normal way by the operator. Digger crossing Green Lane, these machines are very big, the picture doesn't really do them justice Just completing the last checks before the off.		Nick waiting for ironstone shale. This little load will be delivered by rail further up the line for cess improvements. The dumper skip swivels to allow exact placement of material. Very handy on a single line with little road access. In the cab of the digger, note the computer in the center which tells the driver the weight on the bucket, the angle of the diggers arm and even the cant of the rail head. This can all be preprogrammed for working under live OLE to prevent movements. ie swinging the arm to far or raising the arm to high and taking the wires down.

Ironstone mining at Hunsbury

Ever wondered how we get earth and stone moved? Well, unlike the miners who previously dug at hunsbury nearly 100 years ago, we do use some nice modern and very expensive equipment. Every man should have ago in one of these at least once, the power & performance is just breath taking. In the wrong hands they are potentially lethal too, so training is very important and very expensive. The digger bucket weighs in at a cool approximate 500kg and stands roughly a meter high.

The railway wheels on this model are driven by the road wheels which go backwards which make the machine travel forwards! It looks very odd when you are line side. They are capable of towing trolleys which have their own braking system powered through hydraulic lines applied in the normal way by the operator.

Digger crossing Green Lane, these machines are very big, the picture doesn't really do them justice

Just completing the last checks before the off.

Nick waiting for ironstone shale. This little load will be delivered by rail further up the line for cess improvements. The dumper skip swivels to allow exact placement of material. Very handy on a single line with little road access.

In the cab of the digger, note the computer in the center which tells the driver the weight on the bucket, the angle of the diggers arm and even the cant of the rail head. This can all be preprogrammed for working under live OLE to prevent movements. ie swinging the arm to far or raising the arm to high and taking the wires down.

2009 Events held at Nirt

Halloween 2009 was a massive hit with the visitors. During the 2 evenings some 35 staff were working on both nights and we were very busy. The Sealed Knot did an amazing job, once again, scaring our customers with ghosts & ghouls all over the site plus fire eating at the end of the line. Mr Kev Rootes was our guard and told our travelers ghost stories which were a very big hit, so much so that people kept going back for more rides to hear them again! Thanks must go to our commercial supporters Fastrak Maintenance & Travis Perkins.

Santa Specials 2009 – Hunsbury had a white Xmas - OFFICAL, well certainly during our Santa Specials. Our sales were up this year a massive 64% on last year, we invested much more money on advertising which has lowered the profit margin, however this has not been in vain as the advertising / promotional boards etc can be used again for the next 2 seasons – which brings our profits into balance. Santa came again and was absolutely brilliant, one family of 18 said 'that this was the best Santa and best train they had ever been on' – praise in deed!

Nirt is very proud of its Christmas event and we put this success down to our personal service and attention to detail. This years Santa Specials had a Victorian theme; with a number of members including the train crews dressed in Victorian dress. Fowler driver, Simon Tasker (aka Lord Perkins) & the Operations Manager, Kevin Smith aka Mr. Gladstone Roade (with a silent e) did take exception to the continuous Burke & Hare quips! Mr Ian Cave, Trust Director aka Mr B (without the ee) was chief elf. Our illustrious Chairman - Bill Nile aka Mr. Pinkie; personal butler to Lord Perkins was the butt of Santa's jokes - this is an annual event! It was a great shame though that Santa’s slay was clamped up at Foot Xing. It was also noted that Santa consumed far more sherry this year too.

Thanks must go to our girls in the café: Sharon, Mavis, June, Amy & Lorna for their sterling work keeping the staff watered and the visitors happy. Special thanks to Trevor Cave & Kevin Rootes for their work. Our only minor problem was the heating system partially froze during the night of the 19th December. Fortunately, our friends at Travis Perkins Tool Hire – namely Brian & Andy saved the day at VERY short notice. We got this sorted very quickly with no impact on our visitors. Happy Days.

Santa's Train in the snow

Pictured: Fowler 4220001 waits at the station ready for the 12.00 train on December 20th 2009.

Picture by : Kevin Smith

Scrap finally on the move from the yard. The body of former sandite unit and tar wagon loaded by our scrap contractor. Picture NIRT.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE IRONSTONE RAILWAY TRUST